Introduction

On March 2020, the World Health Organization announced the pandemic caused by the new Coronavirus, which changed the reality worldwide. COVID-19 quickly spread. The countries were not ready to deal with its impacts and the new demands that emerged in health, economy, politics, education, and many other areas (^{HISCOTT et al., 2020}).

In Brazil, states and cities faced this public health emergency differently, many regulated by decrees and other legal and regulation instruments. An example is Report nº 5, from June 01, 2020, by the Conselho Nacional de Educação [National Education Council], which guided the reorganization of the school calendar due to social isolation measures. Among the possibilities to fulfil the minimum study load, the document cites non-presential activities, mediated or not⁴ by Information and Communication Digital Technologies (^{BRASIL, 2020a}).

Schools sought to adapt to the challenges that arose with this new reality. The teachers started to plan and implement pedagogical practices that could be enacted remotely without jeopardizing the teaching-learning quality. This occurred repetitively, as they needed to adjust quickly to the new conditions imposed by the pandemic (^{VALLE; MARCOM, 2020}), proving to be an extremely complex process.

Considering this, the university could be a potential ally due to its character. Mainly because, according to Law nº 9.394, from December 20, 1996, which established the Guidelines and Bases of National Education, one of the ends of higher education is to “stimulate the knowledge of current world problems, mainly national and regional ones, provide specialized services to the community, and establish a reciprocity relationship” (^{BRASIL, 1996}, art. 43). Furthermore, this same law mentions that the end of higher education is to:

[...] act in favor of K-12 universalization and improvement through the education and training of professionals, the conduction of pedagogical studies, and the development of outreach activities that approximate both school levels. (^{BRASIL, 1996}, art. 43).

Thus, as centers of scientific and technology production, higher education institutions can act in favor of K-12 education through outreach, one of its pillars, together with teaching and research. For example, it is possible to develop methodologies that answer, mainly, the situation experienced due to the pandemic. However, we should note that university outreach should be understood as something other than knowledge transfer, as if the university held a higher knowledge and, therefore, would be able to solve the population’s problems (^{FRAGA, 2017}). In this case, outreach can articulate the knowledge produced by the university with that of K-12 professionals.

However, how can one implement university outreach for a specific niche of K-12 education, elementary and middle school, during the pandemic of Covid-19? Digital technologies presented themselves as an alternative as, according to Lopes and Melo ⁽²⁰¹⁴⁾, they are usually an attractive resource for students in this age range. Moreover, using this technology in favor of pedagogical actions can contribute to teachers and students speaking the same language (^{MOREIRA; SCHLEMMER, 2020}). Besides this, it is crucial to consider that one of the general competencies of K-12 education proposed in the Common National Curriculum Framework is directly connected to understanding, using, and creating digital technologies in a critical, meaningful, reflexive, and ethical way in different social practices, to play diverse roles including problem-solving, protagonism, authorship, and others (^{BRASIL, 2017}).

Among endless themes that could be addressed by university outreach in elementary and middle school, we highlight energy and how it can be used efficiently and promote climate protection. After all, energy production is one of the most discussed themes worldwide. When not sustainable, energy production can negatively impact local communities and the whole planet. However, in Brazilian elementary and middle schools, energy efficiency and climate protection are not commonly treated themes (^{VIDO; DEGASPERI; NARDY, 2016}).

Based on this, we aimed to evaluate the implementation of a university outreach course involving digital technologies to raise students’ awareness about the rational use of energy and climate protection. The course occurred during the Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, we developed a short course, taught remotely, in which students from two schools from the state system of Santa Catarina in the city of Araranguá. This article presents the research in the following sections: a) theoretical reference: pandemic and the remote context; energy efficiency and climate protection; digital technologies and remote education; b) methodology; c) results and discussion; and d) final remarks.

Theoretical reference

Methodology

This study sought to answer the following research problem: How can university outreach raise the awareness of elementary and middle school students for the rational use of energy and climate protection using digital technologies in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic? For that, we developed an exploratory qualitative investigation using action-research.

To collect data, we implemented a short course using digital Technologies with synchronous and asynchronous activities. The course was registered as an outreach activity of the Energy and Sustainability Department of UFSC.

The research participants, i.e., the course’s target group, were composed of students from Years 6 and 7, from 10 to 13 years old, enrolled in two schools from the public state system of Araranguá, the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. These schools were university partners in the outreach project. We chose them because the first author of this article works as a Science teacher there.

As informed, the platform used to implement the course was Google for Education, made available for the public schools by the government of Santa Catarina. The synchronous classes took place via Google Meet. The content planning considered the National Plan of Energy Efficiency and the National Plan of Climate Change.

The course activities were planned and implemented between August and October 2020. Initially, we created a folder to publicize the short course (Figure 1). This material was forwarded to the students via WhatsApp, with a link that guided them to a survey at Google Forms, so those interested could enroll.

Source: Research data.

Figure 1 . Folder to publicize the short course⁷ 

The short course consisted of a didactic sequence with Three Pedagogical Moments: initial problem, knowledge organization, and knowledge application (^{DELIZOICOV; ANGOTTI, 1994}). Table 1 presents the objectives and activities of each meeting, as well as their respective moments. All meetings presented in the table were recorded for registration and analysis, such as students’ participation and interest in the activities developed.

The table shows that the three booklets were used as didactic material during the course. These booklets were created with the help of an undergraduate in Energy Engineering from Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. The themes approached were: energy and emission pathways (Booklet 1), energy for transport and emissions (Booklet 2), and energy efficiency and climate protection (Booklet 3).

Besides this, as a didactic material, we used a digital game entitled Caminhos da Energia e as Emissões [Energy and Emissions Pathways] created with the collaboration of a computer technician. This game was composed of ten questions. The first asked for students’ names and their schools. The others referred to the contents presented in the first booklet. The students received a link to access the game.

The legal guardians of the students in the course had to sign a term of consent⁸ for students to participate. The term was given to them together with a seeding of a native tree, which should be planted following one of the activities to contribute to capturing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Results and discussion

From the implementation of the course, we reached some results. These results were collected by observing students, their oral contributions, and the other activities developed during this initiative. Besides this, it is important to say that not all results will be presented in this article due to the characteristics of this type of text⁹.

Initially, we questioned students’ motivations to participate in the course, as it was not obligatory. The students answered: “To be well-informed”, “Because we will get in contact with the university and get a certificate”, “I think the theme is cool and interesting”, “A chance to learn more”, “I like to learn about new things”, “I would like to learn more about this topic”, “I like new things, and it is a contact with the university”. Through these answers, we can perceive three critical points. First, the students were interested in the theme proposed. Second, they like to learn. Third, the university was an important factor in the enrollment decision. Besides these points – interest in the theme, wish to learn, and connection school-university – we should add that when the course took place, the students’ schools were not offering remote activities yet. Therefore, the course could also be an opportunity for them to meet each other, even if virtually.

In the first meeting, we asked what they understood by energy efficiency and climate protection to identify students’ previous knowledge about the themes to be discussed. Their answers were written on the Jamboard (Figure 2).

Source: Research data.

Figure 2 - Notes about students’ previous knowledge 

This activity allowed us to perceive a certain knowledge of students about both themes and notice that the tool could contribute to expressing their ideas in remote activities. We also saw that many students were comfortable participating using audio or the chat feature (Figure 3). This agrees with Qazi et al.⁽²⁰²⁰⁾, who noticed that most students were familiar with the communication mediated by digital technologies.

Source: Research data.

Figure 3 - Discussion, via chat, about the causes and consequences of the climate crisis 

Another activity enacted during the course was the game Caminhos da Energia e as Emissões [Energy and Emission Pathways] (Figure 4), created based on the contents of the first booklet. This game was a challenge with questions and answers. To play it, the students received the booklet and, after, the link for the game and its working guidelines. The students were very receptive to the game.

Figure 4 - Home screen of the game Caminhos da Energia e as Emissões 

When analyzing students’ answers in the fame, we can perceive some learning evidence regarding the approached contents. An example was the fourth question that asked them to identify which energy sources cited were the most recommended to decrease particulate material emissions and inadequate substances in the atmosphere. In this question, we saw that 95% of the participants answered correctly, showing that the themes developed in the first meeting and booklet were understood, as shown in Figure 5.

Source: Research data.

Figure 5 - Students’ answers to the fourth question¹⁰ 

We observed one more example of learning based on the students’ answers to the sixth question of the game, which approached renewable and non-renewable energy sources and their impacts. In this case, 81% answered it adequately (Figure 6).

Source: Research data.

Figure 6 - Students’ answers to the sixth question¹¹ 

Other didactic resources involving digital technologies were used during the course, such as Jamboard and chat. The booklets are a resource typically used in initiatives to raise awareness of these different themes. As in the game case, these resources were well-received by some of the students, which are among the favorable aspects associated with using digital technologies indicated by Qazi ⁽²⁰²⁰⁾ and Stefaniak ⁽²⁰²¹⁾.

However, it is noteworthy that the target-audience interest and the pandemic context motivated the option to use this type of technology. As Camargo ⁽²⁰²⁰⁾ reminds us, this context demanded the massive migration for remote ways of learning and, consequently, the adaptation of resources with pedagogical ends.

WhatsApp was also used as a didactic resource to exchange information, register comments about the course contents, etc. The approach was positive, as shown in Figure 7.

Source: Research data.

Figure 7 - Students’ comments on WhatsApp 

The students’ messages in this application, which show possible evidence of learning the content approached, refer to the study of Pavão, Rocha, and Bernardi ⁽²⁰¹⁹⁾. In this investigation, the authors indicate that various technological devices can be used for educational ends as long as their specificities are observed, and the activities planned in a way that can motivate and attract students’ attention.

Finally, the results of the activities held in the last meeting stand out. On it, the students should comment orally or write in the chat, in the Jamboard, what they think about energy efficiency and climate protection and what issues were related to these themes after studying them in the short course. Besides this, they were asked to mention something that could be done to reduce the energy consumption in their houses or school. The answers can be seen in Figures8 and 9, respectively.

Figure 8 - Notes on energy efficiency and climate protection regarding the last meeting 

Source: Research data.

Figure 9  Notes on what could be done to reduce energy consumption at home or school 

We observed a significant difference when comparing the answers in the first meeting with those in the last. The students showed more knowledge of the theme studied after participating in initial problematization and organization activities. For example, this was evident when they related energy efficiency with renewable energies, natural lighting, and using body energy to move, as they indicated alternative transport ways, such as riding a bike or walking.

The themes of alternative transport and constructive strategies for rational energy use were developed throughout the course and were not cited by students when we raised their previous knowledge. Furthermore, this example shows that students could connect the themes studied with their everyday lives. We could identify evidence of learning in both cases.

Similarly, we observed learning evidence in students’ answers when listing how to reduce energy consumption at home and school. Their answers included individual actions, such as reducing shower time and turning off lights, and constructive strategies, such as using natural ventilation or using light colors.

Based on these results, the short course can serve as an incentive for participant students to build a culture of rational use and saving of energy, which is pointed out in the National Plan of Energy Efficiency as imperative for contemporary times. This Plan also includes educational interventions among the strategies for its implementation (^{BRASIL, 2011}).

Final remarks

This work proposed to evaluate the implementation of a university outreach initiative involving digital technologies, aiming to raise the awareness of elementary and middle school students between 10 and 13 years old, toward the rational use of energy and climate protection, held during the Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, as a strategy to collect data, we implemented a remote short course, using Google Sala de Aula and its various resources throughout four meetings. In the first one, we developed an initial problematization. In the third and fourth, we organized the knowledge. In the fourth, we focused on knowledge application.

Based on the results of this research experience, the approach of the themes related to energy efficiency and climate protection can contribute to developing perceptions to decrease environmental impacts. In light of this, these themes must be part of the school curricula. For their development, one could use methodological strategies involving digital technologies, such as the one developed in this investigation, allowing the interaction of students, even if remotely, which can contribute to the socialization and exchange of experiences and knowledge. Furthermore, the technologies used for this end could consider the importance of contextualizing these themes, as in the course, as this can facilitate students’ learning and favor the transmission of important knowledge to their families regarding each person’s role in environmental protection.

Besides this, through the results obtained, it was possible to conclude that university outreach is an opportunity to approximate schools and academy in constructing methodologies that consider the teaching and learning of different subjects and, perhaps, the adoption of new habits, especially in the case of environmental education. Thus, it fulfills one of its essential roles, i.e., sharing knowledge pedagogically to be aggregated into citizens’ lives. We also conclude that digital technologies are powerful tools for implementing outreach initiatives in pandemic contexts.

Finally, an important aspect to be highlighted is that students from different schools could offer the course simultaneously, as it was held remotely using digital technologies and despite contexts of sanitary insecurity. This is mainly relevant to potentialize building bridges between university and community, which is crucial nowadays.